Gamcha

For traditional Assamese Gamcha, see Gamosa.
Bengali Rickshaw Puller wearing traditional Gamcha
Milk salesman wearing Gamchha in Nepal

Gamcha (Bengali: গামছা), also known as Gamchha, Gamucha, Gamusa and Angochha, is a rectangular piece of traditional coarse cotton cloth, sometimes with a checked design, worn as traditional scarf by men in the Indian subcontinent, mainly in Bangladesh, Eastern India (including Assam), as well as in eastern Terai of Nepal.[1] It also became bit popular in other cultures of India and now in what is known as Pakistan after the Indian partition, as well as various parts of South and Southeast Asia. The word "Gamcha" is Bengali which comes from two very simple and commonly used Bengali words, (গা) ga which means "Body", and (মুছা) mucha which means "wipe". Literally translated, it means 'something to wipe the body with' however, interpreting the word gamcha as the towel is misleading.[2] It is often worn on one side of the shoulder. Its appearance varies from region to region, and it has been traditionally worn as a scarf by the Odia men and Bengali men. Gamcha is also a headwear for Bengali men in Bangladesh.[3] Gamucha was also mentioned in Odia Mahabharata by Sarala Dasa as part of the traditional dress of Odia men.[4][5][6] Weavers of traditional tantubaya or jugi community migrated from Bangladesh to Tripura and weavers of Odisha produce good quality gamucha.[7]

The gamcha is most commonly found with check and striped patterns of red, orange or green. Plain white gamchhas with coloured (embroidered or printed) borders from Odisha and Assam (for traditional Assamese Gamcha, see Gamosa) are local handicrafts, and may be worn around the neck with traditional Indian attire. In western areas, gamchas are primarily made in red colour and are plain like cloth. In southern India, gamucha is more coarse and are available in various dyes. Even homemade lightweight fur towels are also popularly termed as gamchhas. Gamucha are worn by the South Asian people, especially in the Indian states of Assam, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand and the Purvanchal region, because they are better suited to the country's tropical, humid climate. They may also be found in hamams as a traditional male loincloth and towel worn during bathing and massage.

A pair of gamchhas with typical check patterns
  1. ^ O`Malley, L.S.S. Bihar And Orissa Gazetteers Shahabad. Logos Press. p. 52. ISBN 9788172681227. Archived from the original on 18 February 2017. Retrieved 2023-02-16.
  2. ^ "Gamocha". assaminfo.com. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
  3. ^ Folk-lore. Indian Publications. 1983. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  4. ^ Frederick George Bailey (1957). Caste and the Economic Frontier: A Village in Highland Orissa. Manchester University Press. pp. 250–. GGKEY:CS1R2QFP07X. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  5. ^ Shishir Kumar Panda (1991). Medieval Orissa: A Socio-Economic Study. Mittal Publications. pp. 96–. ISBN 978-81-7099-261-5. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  6. ^ Orissa (India). Harijan & Tribal Welfare Dept (1990). Tribes of Orissa. Harijan and Tribal Welfare Department, Government Of Orissa. Retrieved 5 June 2012.
  7. ^ G. K. Ghosh; Shukla Ghosh (1 January 2000). Ikat Textiles Of India. APH Publishing. pp. 42–. ISBN 978-81-7648-167-0. Retrieved 5 June 2012.